A September to Remember… The Poor, the Prisoners, and Those Who Rule Over You

    During this month, we have remembered our Creator and thought of all He has done for us – all the reasons we can joyfully lift our hearts in praise and humbly bow our heads in thanksgiving. We have remembered from where we have come, that we were once Gentiles, “strangers from the covenants of promise and without God in the world,” but now in Christ Jesus we have been brought near by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:11-13). Last week, we remembered that our former conduct – outside of Christ and away from God – is not to be looked back on with regret (for leaving it) or longing; we are to learn from it and come to see it as having been in opposition to God. We will come to abhor our former conduct as we draw nearer to God and cling tighter to what is good (James 4:8, Romans 12:9, read and consider 2 Corinthians 7:9-11; note that they did not regret their repentance/turning away from sin).

    Taking time to meditate on God, who He is and who we are before Him, will remind us of just how richly we are blessed (Colossians 2:2-3, Psalm 68:19, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, 9:8-11) and it will prepare our perspective in regards to sharing our wealth* with those in need of care and support.

*wealth is what we have been blessed with so that we can share: time, energy, talents/abilities/skills, words of encouragement, comfort, mercy/compassion, supplies (food, clothing, shelter), and/or money (see Romans 12:3-8)

Remember the Poor

    In Galatians 2:7-10, when Peter, James, and John gave “the right hand of fellowship” to Barnabas and Paul (accepting them as preachers of the gospel and supporting their ongoing efforts), they encouraged these men to “remember the poor” while they taught the Gentiles – something Paul states as being “the very thing which [he] also was eager to do.”

    Jesus told His disciples that “you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good…” (Mark 14:7). We are to look with care and compassion on those who are in need of help (especially those of the household of faith, Galatians 6:9-10), and we are to do what we can to alleviate their troubles (think on James 2:14-20 and Matthew 7:9-12 – what would you need if you were in their situation? Provide that.) Take time to read and consider Matthew 25:31-46, 1 Timothy 5:4; 16, and James 1:21-27

Remember the Prisoners

    God, through the writer of Hebrews, tells us to remember our brethren who are mistreated in prison – not just think of them occasionally, but remember them as though chained with them – because we are all in the same body (Hebrews 13:3, also consider Romans 12:15, 1 Corinthians 12:25-26).

    Maybe we don’t personally know of any brethren who are in prison for their faith, but do we know of those mistreated for their faith/uprightness at work, at school, or at home? We need to be praying for them, feel for them, and encourage them in every way. We can help them “to set [their] mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2). We need to empathize enough that we consider what we would need in those situations, what would benefit us, and do what we can to provide that, so that no part of the body is neglected or forgotten. 

Remember Those Who Rule Over You  

    Again in Hebrews 13, this time in verse 7, God, through the Hebrews writer, tells us to “remember those who rule over [us], who have spoken the word of God to [us].” We are to consider the outcome of their conduct and follow their faith. These teachers/leaders – maybe the elders of the church – should be proving through their words and conduct that God’s will is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2). They should be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity – we all need to feel the weight of this responsibility – we all need to take heed to ourselves and to the doctrine (1 Timothy 4:12-16).

“Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1 NKJV)

    When we find those within our congregation who serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, who have quietly made sacrifices in order to wholly align with God and to be a benefit to their brethren, whose continuing progress is evident, and whose hope is firmly anchored in the unshakeable kingdom (Hebrews 12:28) – follow their example in following God.

    This is not about elevating the man/woman – all men/women make mistakes and stumble. Instead, this is seeing them obeying the commands and instructions found in the New Testament to the best of their abilities and trying to do likewise. It means that you go to them for help and you dig deeper into God’s word together, and so you can both continue to grow and develop in knowledge of our Lord (1 Peter 3:14-18, 1 Timothy 4:16, 2 Timothy 3:16-17).  We are to help each other draw closer to God (James 4:8) as we learn to walk just as Jesus walked (1 John 2:3-6, Ephesians 5:1-2).

    We should be a reason for joy in those who teach us, rule over us, and lead us, not a reason for grief and/or frustration (read and think on Hebrews 13:17). If we put our best effort into serving God, we will encourage our leaders and brethren, and we, too, may become an example to the believers as our progress becomes evident! Let us remember those who watch out for our souls!

    Please remember all that we have studied this September – take it with you into the rest of the year! Remember your Creator, remember from where you came, remember Lot’s wife and don’t look back to your ‘old life’ with longing, keep moving forward in your faith and obedience! Remember the poor – share with them from your abundance. Remember the prisoners – share comfort and strength, and remember those who rule over you and who watch out for your soul – show them that their effort was not in vain!

God is worthy of our every effort – always remember that!

You can do it! So can I!!

A September to Remember…. Lot’s Wife

    We have taken time this month to remember our Creator (Ecclesiastes 12) and all He has done for us, so that we can speak sincere words of praise, admiration, and thanksgiving when we pray to God the Father, talk to others about His greatness, and develop our spiritual understanding. We have also remembered that we were once “Gentiles” – far from God, aliens, strangers, having no hope and without God in the world – but now in Christ Jesus we have been brought near by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:11-13); we meditate on this so that we live in appreciation for God’s love, His gift of grace, and His mercy.

    Now, this week, let’s take time to remember Lot’s wife. Jesus, in teaching about His return, told His listeners to be ready for it  - not in the sense of stop all work and wait (as some in Thessalonica thought, see 1 and 2 Thessalonians), but to recognize it when it happens, rejoice in it, and not worry about what is being left behind.

“Set your mind on things above and not on things on the earth.” (Colossians 3:2 NKJV)

    Lot’s wife (Genesis 19, specifically verse 26) was on a path of deliverance from Sodom and Gomorrah, until she turned back to look at the cities being destroyed by God. Was she thinking about her daughters and sons-in-law who laughed at Lot’s warning the night before and remained in the city (Genesis 19:12-14)? Was she thinking of the house she left behind and her belongings? Did she regret leaving behind the familiar for the unknown of the path that she, her husband, and their daughters were now traveling, even though that familiar had been vile and full of corruption?

    We don’t know her motive for looking back, but God knowing her heart turned her into pillar of salt. Lot’s wife looked back at her past instead of to her future; she chose to fix her eyes on destruction instead of God’s deliverance.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25 NKJV)

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh and strength to your bones.” (Proverbs 3:5-8 NKJV)

    Our Creator loved us so much that He sent His Son to save us from our sins, so we could hear the gospel, recognize our sins and turn from them, so we could be baptized into Christ’s body – the church – and be called children of God, an adoption that is rife with benefits; benefits that help us now and grant us hope for eternal life (Psalm 68:19, Hebrews 4:14-16, 1 John 3:1-3, 2 Corinthians 4:16-17). Trust Him. Let your love for Him be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good (Romans 12:9). Cling to God and His way.

“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Psalm 34:8 NKJV)

    Take time to read and reread the following passages today and every day this week, if the Lord wills: Ephesians 4:17-24, Colossians 3:1-4:6, and Psalm 73

    Do not let what was familiar hinder your faithfulness. Don’t let your unbelieving family halt your progress – keep going, keep growing stronger in knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual understanding; you may by your quiet, consistent example win members of your family to Christ (consider 1 Peter 3:1-4). If you stop your progress and turn to look back, you become stuck – no longer advancing yourself, and no longer able to help those who so desperately need the truth – you’ve become a pillar of salt that has lost its beneficial nature/its flavor (Matthew 5:13).    

    Remember Lot’s wife (and her demise) and learn to see sin for what it is: a path that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13). Taste and see that God and His ways are worth our efforts and our sacrifices. If you are walking on the narrow path that is delivering you from sin, keep looking forward, toward God. Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up (see James 4:7-8a, 10). Don’t look back with longing at the life you once lived, look to God and rejoice that He granted you time and opportunity for deliverance from your life in sin! Forget those things which are behind and reach forward to those things which are ahead; press toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14)!    

“…knowing you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven …do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: “For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.” (Hebrews 10:34b-39 NKJV)  

You can do it! So can I!!

 

A September to Remember…You Were Once Gentiles, But Now…

    Last week, we took time to remember, recall, and meditate on our Creator, because no matter our age, if we have breath in our bodies, we have opportunity Today to remember Who created us and we have ability to seek God and find Him (Acts 17:26-17), and to find out what is acceptable to the Lord and understand His will (Ephesians 5:8-10, 15-17) so we can do His will (James 1:21-25).  

    This week, let’s take time to remember that we were once without Christ, so that we can renew our appreciation for God’s loving gift of grace toward us when He sent His Son to die in our stead (John 3:14-18, 1 John 4:9-10), so we could have access to Him (Hebrews 4:14-16, John 16:23-24), have help in this life (ex: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Philippians 4:6-9), and hope in the one beyond (Romans 8:18-25, 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:11).

“Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh – who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands – that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:11-13 NKJV)

Remember You Were Once Gentiles

    The New Testament term “Gentiles” comes from the Greek word ‘ethnos’ (Strong’s Greek #1484) which means a group of people (a tribe) joined through the practice of similar customs; customs and a culture distinct from those of the Jewish people of Israel. Often used to describe all people who were non-Jewish; Gentiles were considered strangers, foreigners, and heathen/pagan (not having faith in the one, true God).

    If you are now a Christian, at some point in your life you heard the gospel message and believed it. You realized your spiritual state before your Creator, and you confessed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (Romans 10:9-10, Acts 8:36-38), you repented of your sins (make the necessary changes to not return to them) and you were baptized for the remission of your sins (Acts 2:37-38; 22:16).

    All Christians have a past, and only by God’s grace can we declare: ‘But now in Christ Jesus, we who once were afar off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.’    

    Look at what we now have in Christ:

• He Himself is our peace, who broke down the wall that separated the Jew from the Gentile (Ephesians 2:14)
• In Him, one new man was created in which both Jew and Gentile can be at peace – both can become members of Christ’s body, the church (1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-29, Ephesians 1:20-23, Colossians 1:18, Romans 12:5) – both can be ‘Christians’ (Ephesians 2:15-18)
• We are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God (Ephesians 2:19)
• Together, we can align ourselves with Christ Himself (the chief cornerstone), having learned from the teaching of the apostles (gospels, epistles/letters in the New Testament, Ephesians 2:20, 1 Thessalonians 1:13), and be fitted together and built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit – we are growing into a holy temple in the Lord (Ephesians 2:20-23)!

    Remembering where we once were, how we once lived, should reinvigorate our praise and thanksgiving for all that God has brought us through, all that He has provided so we can grow, develop, and overcome! It should motivate us to keep making strides forward on the narrow path and it should encourage us to want to gain more knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual understanding each and every day we are blessed with (Colossians 1:9-14)!

    Please take time right now to read Ephesians 4:17-24. Read it as though Paul is writing directly to you. Reread it and consider it throughout your day. Other excellent passages to read and consider in this same way: 1 Peter 4:1-4 and 1 Peter 3:13-17.

    We were once afar off; we were strangers and foreigners. We practiced the customs of the world, we were “under the sway of the evil one” (1 John 5:19b)…

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:57-58 NKJV)

    Remember from where you have come, remember God’s grace, and remember Jesus’ sacrifice. It was so you could be brought near and have access to God the Father; it was so you could know the truth and do it, so you could live for Christ and share it, so you could have help in this life and hope in eternity! Keep going! God’s way is the best way – your labour and efforts are not in vain! We are all in this together!!

You can do it! So can I!!   

A September to Remember... Your Creator

    If the Lord wills, over the remaining weeks in this month of September, I would like to show you some things that are good to remember. Throughout the Bible, the inspired writers declare a need to remember specific things, things that will benefit you and help focus your mind on what is good and profitable to your soul.

“Remember now your Creator…”

    In Ecclesiastes 12 we find Solomon advising both younger and older people to remember their Creator.

“Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them.”” (Ecclesiastes 12:1 NKJV)

    To establish a firm foundation of faith and trust in God from youth is a wonderful benefit in life. Tasting and seeing that the LORD is good (Psalm 34:8) from a young age and learning to trust Him as we follow His commands enables us to persevere through challenges and trials with strength and might that comes only from God (Ephesians 6:10-18). Developing an unwavering faith helps us face the trials that can come with life and aging with peace and grace: discomfort, weakness in hands and legs, loss of teeth and/or appetite, trouble sleeping, failing eyesight, hearing loss, general aging/frailty, and death (Ecclesiastes 12:2-5).     

“Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the well.” (Ecclesiastes 12:6 NKJV)

    Solomon restates his advice “Remember your Creator” in verse 6 to both affirm its importance and, in my opinion, to include those who may have come to God later in their life. Maybe trials and struggles in life brought you to your knees and you turned to God for help and comfort. Maybe you grew tired of years of wandering and desired to walk with a purpose that was not of your own making, and you sought God and found Him (Acts 17:26-27). At some point in your life, whether from youth, or mid-life, it is important to remember God and acknowledge who we are before Him (Psalm 16:2, 27:8, Isaiah 64:8). In remembering Him, we need to also find out what is acceptable to Him, and understand His will (Ephesians 5:8-10, 15-17) so we can humbly obey it (Romans 12, James 1:21-25).     

    It doesn’t matter when you come to God; you haven’t missed out entirely if you didn’t know Him from your youth, but I beg you to understand that if you are holding back from fully following Him because you think you will have time “tomorrow,” that day may not come. We are not guaranteed tomorrow, nor are we guaranteed life as we know it right now. A stroke, an aneurism, a heart attack (Ecclesiastes 12:6-7); any of these life-altering (and sometimes life-ending) events could happen while you wait until you “have a convenient time” (Acts 24:24-25).

Note: Another event we all must be prepared for is Jesus second coming (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, 2 Peter 3:10-15)  – only God Himself knows when that will be (Matthew 24:36), our responsibility is to be ready when it comes (Matthew 24:42-44).

    The bottom line is: take time right now to remember God and submit to His will.

    Please read and consider these passages that not only reiterate the advice to remember our God, but encourage us to also think about all He has done for us, continues to do for us, and promises to do for us. As you read, think of all that God has brought you through: Psalm 20:7, Psalm 63:6-8, Psalm 77:11-12, Psalm 103:17-18, Psalm 105:4-5. “Meditate” also means to remember, to recall to your mind, so please read these passages as well: Psalm 119:15-16; 23, 48, 148, Psalm 143:5, 1 Timothy 4:15

    It is God who created us and not we ourselves (Psalm 100), He has loved us enough to provide us with His word, the Bible, and with a Saviour – His Son, Jesus Christ (1 John 4:9-10, 14-16).  Remember your Creator today while you still have time and a mind to reason and obey. God does not want you to perish, He wants you to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9); He desires that you be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:1-4). Are you willing?

    The benefits of living with God and for God far, far outweigh the sacrifices you may have to make. Please let go of whatever is holding you back, remember you Creator and turn to Him; seek God and find Him TODAY.

You can do it! So can I!!   

Study of Romans 12: A Summary

    Throughout Romans 12 we have found three easy to spot “fence posts” that help our minds stay aligned to the overarching message: choose good over evil.

• Fence Post One is found in verse 1 and 2, where we are instructed to choose transformation over conformation.
• Fence Post Two is found in verse 9, where we are told to cling to what is good and abhor what is evil.
• Fence Post Three is found in verse 21 where we are commanded to overcome evil with good.

    The verses between these fence posts are filled with instruction to keep us on the right side of the fence; instructions for how to behave toward our brethren and toward those who do evil and persecute us.

    God’s way takes effort: effort in preparing and effort in doing.

"Any dead fish can flow with the current; it takes a live one to swim upstream."

Note: That simple statement was made by my widowed maternal grandmother, Marjorie Gare. It was her response to a question (from her family members, all staunch Free Methodists) of why she left the Free Methodists to obey the gospel and become a member of the church of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23, 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, Romans 12:4-5). She was the first convert from the community (in 1964) in the then newly formed Wellandport church of Christ. Soon after, two of her brothers (Allen and Glenn) and their wives (Sis and Pearl, respectively) would follow her example, obey the gospel, and become faithful members of the church.   

    We need to prepare our hearts and minds to obey. How? By remembering all that God has done for us.

    He loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for us so we could be saved from the bondage of sin (1 John 4:9-10, Romans 6:17-19). His mercy is so abundant that He preserved His word through these centuries so we, too, could access it and learn of Him, seek Him, and find out what is acceptable to Him (Romans 15:4-6, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Ephesians 5:8-10). And in reading His word, we discover that His commands and instructions are for our good always (Deuteronomy 6:24-26); that His prohibitions keep us safe from harm (and from harming others), and His permissions benefit us (and help us benefit others).

    When we remember and appreciate what God has done for us, and continues to do for us (Psalm 68:19, Romans 8:26-27, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Philippians 4:6-7, Hebrews 4:14-16, etc.), we will come to realize that submitting to Him in obedience is the most logical response; He has done so much, and asks so little of us in return.

    When we have gained knowledge (by learning God’s commands and instructions), wisdom (by obeying His commands and instructions), and spiritual understanding (coming to realize the immense value of God and His word, the pure wisdom of His ways, etc.) then we will logically conclude that God’s way is the best way; we will be willing to put ourselves and our own ideas aside and submit to His will (present your bodies a living sacrifice); we will want to be holy and acceptable to God. We will desire the transformation (being changed for the better) that will come when we renew our minds – turning our focus from the world and its ways to God and His way (Colossians 3:1-2) – and we will determine to use the gifts/talents/abilities God has given us, and to use them for good.

    We will grow to love our brethren by applying the instructions given verse 10 through 13, and we will grow to a place of faith in God’s way and strength of spirit so that we will not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with the good that God has instructed us in (verses 14-20) – we will follow His way and in so doing show others in the world that there is a better way.   

    I created two ‘charts’ to help you remember what God has provided us in this one chapter so we can succeed in obeying His commands: 

    I hope you have benefitted from this study of Romans 12 as much as I have. It has opened my eyes to God’s love, and also how far I still need to grow and develop. There is work to do, and God wants you to succeed – to overcome! Are you ready to present your body a living sacrifice, to be holy and acceptable to God? Are you ready to use your abilities for good? To prepare yourself through faithful application of His instructions to love your brethren with brotherly love and to overcome evil with good? God has given us all we need to do exactly that! Are you ready?   

You can do it! So can I!!